Haunted New York

New York in autumn feels both festive and unsettled: Something about the changing weather makes us curious about the cycle of life and death. It’s the perfect time to reflect upon all the feet that have walked these streets before us, and all the eyes that have watched the city evolve. Some of these eyes seem to be watching us still. You can scarcely walk a block in Manhattan without encountering a haunted landmark.

Maybe imagining Lady Gallus has left you less than thrilled about drinking cappuccino and munching on a croque monsieur after all. But perhaps thoughts of the old café did pique your historical curiosity. If that's the case, pay a visit to the Morris-Jumel Mansion. Here's a small history lesson to make your trip all the more enjoyable.

The Morris-Jumel Mansion, located at 175 Jumel Terrace in Washington Heights, is the oldest house in Manhattan. Built in 1765, it served as George Washington's headquarters in September and October 1776 during the Revolutionary War. The house remained a meeting place for powerful politicians for years.

Eliza and Stephen Jumel took control of the house in 1810. Their marriage was quite tumultuous, as Eliza was supposedly having an affair with former Vice President Aaron Burr. (Perhaps in the upstairs rooms of One if By Land, Two if By Sea?) In 1832, Stephen met his death when he "mysteriously" fell on a pitchfork. Without wasting any time, Eliza married Aaron.

Eliza and Aaron divorced three years later. Aaron died not long after, and Eliza's mental health deteriorated. According to TruTV, prior to her death in 1865, "Eliza became reclusive, and she was a frightening sight to behold, with false teeth, unkempt hair, soiled clothing, and ungainly large feet. Finally, dementia took her and her babbling drove away even the staunchest relative."

The haunting began soon after her death, as Eliza was allegedly seen wandering about the property in a white dress, producing spine-tingling noises. When a psychic went to the mansion and purportedly summoned the spirit of Stephen Jumel, the spirit said that he was murdered and buried alive.

The City of New York took control of the museum in 1904, and tours have been fraught with ghost sightings ever since. A famous sighting occurred in 1964 when Eliza, wearing a violet dress, supposedly appeared to some schoolchildren and yelled at them to "Shut up!"